Abstract: In an endoscope system including an endoscope having an insertion section to be inserted into a cavity under inspection, a bending portion which is provided in said insertion section near a distal end thereof and is bendable in at least two different directions and an operation section to which a proximal end of the insertion section is connected and a disposable protection cover having an insertion section cover for covering said insertion section of the endoscope and having formed therein an insertion section inserting channel into which said insertion section of the endoscope is insertable and at least one conduit channel, said insertion section and bending portion of the endoscope are formed to have a non-circular lateral cross section, a direction in which said non-circular cross section has a larger size is aligned with a direction in which said bending portion is bent by a maximum bending angle or a direction in which said non-circular cross section has a smaller size is aligned with a direction in whi

Abstract: A cover-type endoscope apparatus comprising an endoscope cover and a covering endoscope used by inserting said covering endoscope into the endoscope cover. A display means for indicating a fitness of the endoscope cover and the covering endoscope is provided on either the endoscope cover or the covering endoscope.

Abstract: A covering endoscope having a curving portion composed of a plurality of curving pieces and an observation optical system and an endoscope cover having an inserting path for inserting the endoscope and a contained unit provided along the inserting path. A side of the curving pieces facing the contained unit is formed of flat surfaces and a coupling portion coupling adjacent ones of the curving pieces are provided in a position near the flat surfaces from a center of the endoscope.

Abstract: A covered endoscope system according to the present invention comprises a cover and a coverable endoscope to be inserted into the cover for use. Herein, an optical filter is mounted in the distal part of a cover abutting on the front of an observation optical system of the coverable endoscope.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus of an endoscope cover type using an endoscope cover comprises an endoscope having a long and narrow insertion tube, and an endoscope cover covering at least an endoscope insertion tube. In the endoscope apparatus, flexibility varies in a direction of a longitudinal axis of at least one of the endoscope and the endoscope cover.

Abstract: A package assembly for packaging an endoscope cover for covering the outer surface of the endoscope is disclosed. The package comprises a cover for an insertion tube section of the endoscope, and a package base member for accommodating the endoscope cover therein, the cover section is accommodated in the package base member so as not to overlap itself while being in the state of packaging.

Abstract: A cover system endoscope apparatus in which an insert part cover sheath for isolating the insert part of a cover endoscope is airtightly connected to a distal end constructive part of a tip part of an insert part cover. The insert part cover sheath is composed of a soft resin such as polyurethane exhibiting an excellent chemical resistance and a relatively high flexibility. The tip side of the cover sheath is connectively covered on an outer peripheral edge of the rear end of the distal end constructive part. The insert part cover sheath is formed with a forceps inlet on its near-at-hand side. Connected airtightly thereto is an endoscope manipulation part fixing mouth part having an expansion tube mouth for connecting an expansion tube and further a connecting part connected to a cover holding tool. An opening of an endoscope insert channel provided in an interior of the insert part cover sheath is formed on the near-at-hand side of the endoscope manipulation part fixing mouth part.

Abstract: A device to be incorporated in the housing of the operation section of an endoscope, for operating a bending mechanism incorporated in the insertion section of the endoscope, comprises an operation shaft and a holder. The operation shaft has a distal end connected to the bending mechanism and a proximal end portion projecting from an operation section of the endoscope. The holder is mounted on a distal end portion of the operation shaft and comprises an upper and lower cover which are joined together and which define an outside surface and a hollow cylindrical space around the operation shaft. The upper and lower covers abut each other to form an interface on the outside surface.

Abstract: In an endoscope system including an endoscope having an insertion section insertable into a cavity under inspection and an operation section to which a proximal end of the insertion section is connected, and a disposable protection cover having an insertion section cover for covering the insertion section of the endoscope and an operation section cover for covering said operation section of the endoscope, said operation section cover is constructed such that it can be commonly used to cover operation sections of a plurality of endoscopes. Upon removing the insertion section of the endoscope from the insertion section cover, the insertion section section cover is supported by a supporting apparatus including a proximal end supporting unit for supporting a proximal end of the insertion section cover and a distal end supporting unit for supporting a distal end of the insertion section cover.

Abstract: An endoscope cover with a channel covers at least an inserted portion of an endoscope. The endoscope cover has a treatment tool channel into which a treatment tool is inserted and incorporates a treatment tool raising device for moving, to a predetermined position, the treatment tool inserted into the treatment tool channel and protruding from a distal end portion of the treatment tool channel. The endoscope cover includes an endoscope operating portion fixing port portion provided at a proximal end portion of an inserted portion covering portion which covers the inserted portion of the endoscope. The port portion fixes an operating portion of the endoscope inserted into the inserted portion covering portion. A treatment tool raising device operating member connected to the treatment tool raising device for operating the treatment tool raising device is disposed in the endoscope operating portion fixing port portion.

Abstract: An endoscope cover system endoscope to be used in an endoscope inspection including an endoscope having an elongate inserted part provided with a curvable curving part and an operating part provided with a curving operating knob curving operating the curving part and a channeled endoscope cover having an inserted part cover provided with an endoscope inserting channel through which the inserted part is inserted and such fluid tube path through which a fluid flows as an air feeding tube path so that, when the curving part is curved close to the maximum curvature angle in the maximum curvature angle direction by operating the curving operating knob, the fluid tube path within the inserted part cover will be curved and twisted to move outside in the maximum curvature angle direction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an endoscope cover-sheathed endoscope having an endoscope in which an insertional part is extending from an operational part, and an endoscope cover made up of an insertional part cover, an operational part cover, and a universal cord cover, which shield the endoscope and are concatenated in that order from the distal end of the endoscope.The operational part cover overlaps and shields the margin of the insertional part cover, while the operational part cover overlaps and shields the margin of the universal cord cover. The endoscope will not therefore be bared.The proximal portion of an insertional part cover skin of the insertional part cover, which shields the insertional part and consists of a distal part, an insertional part cover skin, and an operational endoscope cover locking cap, is formed as a rigid skin made of Teflon, urethane, or other resin having such rigidity that will not cause a damage resulting from friction with other member, for example, a rigid sheath.

Abstract: A cover type endoscope apparatus includes a cover, a covered endoscope which is inserted into this cover and used, and a cover holder for holding various peripheral units connected to the covered endoscope and the cover, wherein an indication device for indicating whether or not an apparatus should handle a clean area in a sterile state or other area is provided in each of the components.

Abstract: An endoscope cover-sheathed endoscope is composed of an endoscope having an elongated insertional part that is inserted into a living body, and an endoscope cover including an insertional part cover in which an endoscope insertion channel into which the elongated insertional part is inserted is formed. A tube cap with which the terminal of a tube, which communicates with the endoscope insertion channel and feeds air to the endoscope insertion channel in order to enable insertion or removal of the insertional part into or from the endoscope insertion channel, is coupled is shielded with a cap cover, thus preventing spread of contamination.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus of a type having a cover for covering the endoscope composed of a cover for an insert, a cover for a control unit, and a universal-cord cover, and the endoscope which uses the endoscope cover to cover the control unit having a handle in the body of the control unit, an elongated insert extending from the control unit to the leading portion and a universal cord extending from the control unit. At least two members of all members that form the cover for the insert of the endoscope cover, for example, a leading unit and an acceptor for fixing the control unit of the endoscope, are made of the same material such as polysulfone which is a thermoplastic resin which can be recycled, or all members forming the cover for the insert are made of a material which can be subjected to a combustion process, or the cover for the control unit integrally covers the insert and the handle of the endoscope with the endoscope cover.

Abstract: An endoscope system according to the present invention includes a plurality of different endoscopes each of which has an illumination optical system for emitting light outward, an observation optical system for forming an optical image of a subject at the distal end of an insertion tube which can be inserted into the subject, and a solid-state imaging device for converting the optical image of the subject formed by the observation optical system into an electric signal, a plurality of different signal processors each of which drives a solid-state imaging device and processes the output signal sent from the solid-state imaging device to provide a video signal, and a plurality of different light sources each of which is compatible with one of the plurality of different endoscopes and supplies light to the illumination optical system. The system expendability is so excellent that the above equipment will be compatible with technologically-upgraded endoscopes, signal processors, or light sources.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes a plurality of different endoscopes each of which has an illumination optical system for emitting light outward, an observation optical system for forming an optical image of a subject at the distal end of an insertion tube which can be inserted into the subject, and a solid-state imaging device for converting the optical image of the subject formed by the observation optical system into an electric signal, a plurality of different signal processors each of which drives a solid-state imaging device and processes the output signal sent from the solid-state imaging device to provide a video signal, and a plurality of different light sources each of which is compatible with one of the plurality of different endoscopes and supplies light to the illumination optical system. The system expendability is so excellent that the above equipment will be compatible with technologically-upgraded endoscopes, signal processors, or light sources.

Abstract: A CCD for imaging a subject is driven by a CCD driving circuit. An observation image of the subject obtained by the CCD being driven becomes an output signal of the CCD and is converted into a digital signal by an A/D converter through a preprocessing circuit including an amplifying circuit, low-pass filter and sample hold circuit. While the signal of the observation image converted by the A/D converter when the subject is illuminated is stored in a first memory, the signal of the observation image when the subject is not illuminated is stored in the second memory. The signals stored in the first memory and the second memory are instantaneously read and supplied to a subtracting circuit. In the subtracting circuit, operation process for extracting a signal in which an imaging signal during non-illumination is subtracted from an imaging signal during illumination is carried out.

Abstract: An endoscope comprises a control section at an operator side, a plurality of operation knobs projected at the control section, an insertion section insertable into a human body cavity for medical treatment and having a proximal end connected to the control section and distal end section insertable into the body cavity, and a water drain guide member provided at the respective operation knob of the control section and being of such a type that, after an endoscope body has been washed, the guide member can guide deposited water on the recess of the respective knob in a direction to run and drain therealong, when the control section is horizontally located with the operation knob set in a normally upward state.

Abstract: An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes is arranged so that at least two filters have mutually different transmitting wavelength ranges are inserted either alternatively or as a rotatable filter disc into an optical path of either an illuminating system or an image pickup system in order to make it possible to obtain either alternatingly or simultaneously color images produced by at least two kinds of rays having mutually different wavelength ranges.